Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 819 Wang Zhan is entangled
On the second day of the New Year, Wang Zhan, He Yushui and Lili did not go anywhere. They rested at home for a day. Wang Zhan played poker and checkers with the two of them. He also took the two of them to the supply and marketing cooperative again, because the firecrackers they had bought before had all been set off on the night of New Year's Eve.

Wang Li insisted on setting off firecrackers because she heard sporadic sounds of firecrackers outside again. Wang Zhan couldn't persuade her, so he took them for another walk.

Jinbao is much more energetic today than yesterday. Yesterday, Jinbao might have been frightened by the sound of firecrackers all over the city and was not very active.

In the afternoon, Wang Zhan and He Yushui chatted in the main hall. Wang Zhan asked, "Why don't you plan to visit your brother again in the next few days?"

He Yushui said, "No, he started working after the third year of junior high school. The steel mill where he works has been transformed into a public-private partnership. I heard that they are planning to expand it, so he is also very busy."

Wang Zhan thought about it and seemed to have heard Aunt Wang say that their street office would also be very busy recruiting workers after the New Year, and it might be this steel rolling mill.

He Yushui asked at this time: "Brother Zhan, where is your hometown? Why haven't I heard you tell me?"

"Have you heard of Jinghai, Hebei?" said Wang Zhan.

He Yushui shook her head. Wang Li seemed to have heard about her hometown at this time, so she came over and looked at her brother, because her brother had never told her about his hometown.

Wang Zhan saw that his sister wanted to know about his hometown, so he recalled it carefully and said, "When your brother was a child, Jinghai County was sometimes part of Shandong and sometimes part of Hebei. At that time, your brother was still young and didn't understand these things. Only our father would say a few words. Our small village is on the north side. There is a river called Ziya River not far away. When your brother was a child, he often went there to fish. Our small village was very small, with only a dozen households, but it was small but complete. There was not only a clinic in the village, but also a private school. At that time, our father taught in the private school."

Wang Li blinked her big eyes, and tears were already forming in them. Wang Zhan knew that he couldn't say any more. If he continued, his sister would start to have wild thoughts again.

Wang Zhan said, "In fact, I have lived for a very short time, and I have very few memories. I will take you to see it when we have the chance, okay?"

Wang Li was stunned, nodded silently, and then said, "You are the only one in my memory, you can't leave me."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Even if I go out, I will take you with me." Wang Zhan touched his sister's head and comforted her.

He Yushui said beside him: "Brother Zhan, do you think I should write a letter to my dad to wish him a happy new year?"

Wang Zhan nodded and said, "Of course. Your father has never stopped paying for your living expenses. I heard that he gave you an extra five dollars this month, right?"

He Yushui said: "Well, not only did they add five yuan, they also mailed me fifty yuan separately, saying it was New Year's money for me."

Wang Zhan said, "Then you should thank me even more. By the way, you should also wish a happy new year to your stepmother whom you have never met. We should still be polite."

He Yushui stood up and said, "I'll go write it now." Then she turned around and went back to her room. Wang Li snuggled in her brother's arms, and Wang Zhan asked gently, "What's wrong? Do you miss your parents?"

Wang Li's tears instantly fell, and she said, "Well, I haven't even met them, do they dislike me?"

Wang Zhan said, "Nonsense, when mom was pregnant with you, she caressed her belly every day, thinking that this was the precious girl God had given us. Dad and I were both very confused at the time, wondering why mom was so sure that she was carrying a daughter before the baby was even born. Mom firmly said that this must be my precious girl."

Wang Li smiled, but asked, "Then why did you leave later?"

Wang Zhan said, "They have a mission, and they don't want to leave you. Before they left, mom held you and sat all night, just watching you. But they sacrificed their lives for the sake of everyone. They are the same kind of people as Uncle Li. We should be proud of our parents. They have turned into stars, hanging in the sky, watching us every day, so we should live happily. This is also what our parents expect of us."

Wang Li seemed to understand, but also seemed not to understand. She pulled Wang Zhan to the yard to look at the stars. Wang Zhan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said, "It's still daytime. We have to look at the stars at night. Let's go and make something delicious. I've left a few crabs. I'll make you some crab roe dumplings."

Wang Li's attention was diverted instantly, and she followed Wang Zhan to the small kitchen. Wang Li sat on a small stool, eating peanuts, watching her brother make crab roe dumplings for her.

In fact, Wang Zhan has been very conflicted. He wants to go back and take a look, but he is afraid that the road is not safe. Recently, he often hears that some purchasing agents have been robbed, and not only were they robbed, but they have also lost their lives. Aunt Sun has told Wang Zhan more than once not to take his friends too far out of the city, as the situation outside is very complicated.

But Wang Zhan always wanted to go to the hill where he had been hiding to see what had happened to the hunter who had saved him and his sister. He did not get any definite news when he left. And although his house was burned down, there were two dollars buried under the kitchen stove. Those were the last things his father left him, and it has always been a regret that he was unable to take them away.

This was the second time that Wang Zhan had the urge to go back and take a look, but after Wang Li's commotion today, he completely gave up the idea. For the sake of his sister, he decided to wait until she grows up a little before going back.

There were not many steamed dumplings, just for Wang Li and He Yushui to have a treat, five each, as a snack. After eating the dumplings, the brother and sister accompanied He Yushui to the post office to mail a letter. Even though it was Chinese New Year, there were still people on duty in state-owned units and they did not take holidays to make life more convenient for the people.

When they were walking back, Wang Zhan pointed at a man wandering not far ahead and said, "Yushui, is that your brother?"

He Yushui followed the direction Wang Zhan pointed and saw a man in the crowd carrying a bottle of wine and a net bag, walking slowly towards Maoer Hutong. He Yushui said, "It's my brother. I'll go check it out. You guys go back first and I'll come back later."

As He Yushui spoke, he trotted and caught up with Sha Zhu. Wang Zhan took a look and took Wang Li home. In the evening, Wang Zhan cooked Wang Li's favorite sweet and sour pork and squirrel mandarin fish, as well as stir-fried shredded eel and Qianlong cabbage, which were all Wang Li's favorite dishes. Wang Zhan was in a good mood today, so he took out a bottle of red wine and poured himself a glass, while Wang Li drank soda.

The brother and sister were eating and chatting. It was a rare occasion that there was no one else around, so they were the only ones having a quiet meal. After dinner, Wang Zhan took Wang Li to set off fireworks in the yard. Night had fallen. After a snowfall, the night sky was very clear today, with stars all over the sky. Wang Li watched the fireworks while looking up at the stars in the sky.

Wang Zhan also accompanied her. They stopped setting off the fireworks and looked up at the starry sky. After looking for a while, the two looked at each other and smiled slightly. Wang Li threw herself into her brother's arms.

(End of this chapter)